


the day dad left

by awkward_as_hell



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Multi, abuse tw, homosexual slurs (sorry), lonnie is a piece of shit, minor descriptions of abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-03
Updated: 2018-01-03
Packaged: 2019-02-27 17:59:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13253628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/awkward_as_hell/pseuds/awkward_as_hell
Summary: Will Byers' life throughout the years. Memorable moments, not all for good reason.(Lonnie is awful and I just got really emotional and started writing)





	the day dad left

 

It was the spring of 1982 when Lonnie left. It was a shitty day in all forms.

The air had a slight chill to it. Clouds blocked all sources of light. The air was thick and humid, threatening to suffocate you at any given moment.

Then Lonnie left.

From then on the day should have seemed bright. But it only got darker.

Echos of  _Why doesn’t he love me?_ reverberated around Will's head. He was only ten years old.

Ten years old and he had already suffered more than anyone could see. He put on a smile and went about his day. Pretending that he wasn’t afraid in his own home. Playing the part of a normal ten year old who had never seen his mother get beaten up by the man who said he loved her. Pretending he had never been afraid to breathe when he heard footsteps or the fact that he once hid in his closet for so long that he wet himself.

A ten year old shouldn’t wet themselves.

Will did.

 

It was less scary than the alternative.

 

* * *

 

It was the fall of 1976 when Michael Wheeler and William Byers first met. It was the first day of kindergarten and both were terrified. Mike had been sheltered his entire life; Will, just the opposite. 

The first meeting was very significant to both of the boys. It showed Michael that there were other people like him, who were quiet and liked what Nancy called "nerdy things". It showed William that there were nice people other than his mother and brother, and that his _dad_ was the minority. 

Short conversations of, "Hi, my name is Michael. I saw you were all alone, do you...want to be my friend." Straight to the point.

With retaliations of, "My name is William, and yes, Michael, I'll be your friend." Shy and reserved. 

Weeks of this continued before Michael decided that William was too much to say claiming, "I'm going to call you Will from now on. William sounds like a grownup." Followed by a giggle from Will.

"Only if I get to call you Mike."

Gapped tooth grins from lost baby teeth and childlike glee sealed their friendship from then on out. They were no longer Michael Wheeler, the rich kid; or William Byers, the poor kid with the shitty dad. 

Now they were Will and Mike.

Just Will and Mike.

* * *

 

It was the winter of 1977 when Mike first found out why he had never been to Will's house. It was the day before Christmas eve and Mike was trying to think of the best gift to give Will, even though Will didn't celebrate Christmas.  _Hanukkah or something._

He was broken out of his thoughts by a desperate pounding on the basement door. Through the large window Mike was able to see Will's shaking form. Without hesitation he opened the door and ushered Will inside. It was only once Will was inside that Mike noticed the large hand-print covering the entire right side of his face.

He sat Will down on the couch and settled next to him. 

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

All Will gave him was a slight shake of his head.

Mike put his arm around Will, hugging him gently.

"Do you wanna watch Star Wars?"

* * *

 

The fall of 1978 seemed like it was going to be the start of a great year. It was the year when a new member joined them. They were no longer Will and Mike. Now they were Will, Lucas, and Mike.

They had a trio.

They were content. 

Then winter came and Lonnie got bad again. He always got worse around winter. The chill in the air signaled to Mike that he should expect more late night calls from a hysterical Will or missed days of school, with Will suddenly showing up with a limp, claiming he fell down the stairs. Mike knew Will's house didn't have stairs. 

It took Lucas a while to understand. His family was happy. He couldn't imagine having a father who hit his children. Eventually, after witnessing a bloody and broken Will show up unannounced at Mike's basement, shaking from cold and fear, Lucas learned to never raise his voice at Will, and to always make sure he felt safe. 

They were a trio.

They were, mostly, content.

* * *

 

It was the fall of 1980 that the trio met Dustin Henderson. Dustin was an exuberant boy, who had yet to grow any of his adult teeth. _He had Cleidocranial Dysostosis, and his teeth were growing in dammit._

Suddenly the group felt complete. Along with his toothless grins, Dustin brought along humor and a slyness that none of the other boys had experienced before. 

They had a quartet.

They were happy.

Then the seasons changed, Dustin's teeth still didn't grow in, and Will spent more and more time at any house that wasn't his. Dustin questioned it at first, but then stopped when the saw the bruises in the shape of fingerprints all along Will's arm. 

He didn't ask questions after that. But he did give Will a key to his house. 

Just in case. 

* * *

 

It was the summer of 1981 that it got really bad. Will couldn't remember the last time he had slept in his own house. Eventually, even after the constant attempts of the party, Will had to go home.

They always made sure that Will had plans during the day, always kept him out of the house. But no matter what they did, Will always had bruises. He said it was getting better. That it didn't hurt as much. 

They never believed him. 

It was true though. That it didn't hurt as much. Well, at least, not physically. What Lonnie now lacked in physical hits, he made up for in mental hits. Sinister jabs of _'Are you a fuckin' fairy?'_ and _'You're no son of mine. My son isn't a cocksucker.'_ and drunken ramblings of how he _"didn't care if he had to beat it out of him, Will was going to be a man, God help him."_

Will was afraid. 

He was always afraid.

* * *

 

 

Winter of 1981 was a tough one for Will. The abuse began to affect him to the point where he would hide in the woods, wishing for a safe place, a _Castle Byers, where all friends are welcome._

Will's friends noticed and did whatever they could to help him, despite his protests that _"he was fine."_

They knew he was lying.

All the lies came to a halt one night when they had planned a game of D&D in the Wheeler basement. Will had called a few minutes earlier, telling Mike's mom that he couldn't come over, _he was sick._

The pizza the boys had ordered remained untouched when they received the news. They couldn't eat.

They didn't speak. Will always came over for D&D night. No matter what. They had seen him at his worst, with nearly broken nose and a dislocated shoulder, tears streaming down his face, hiccuping, while snot dripped out of his nose. 

What could have happened to Will that was so bad that he wouldn't come over? 

They got their answer when they heard a weak knock on the basement door. They all ran for it so fast they nearly crashed into it. 

What they saw made them very glad they hadn't eaten any pizza. 

Will was standing there, a cut on his face, running from the middle of his left cheek to the middle of his forehead and an angry red mark around his neck. Joyce had just attempted to kick Lonnie out again, and he didn't take too kindly to it. 

They brought him inside and held him as he cried. They cleaned up his face and gave him new clothes. Then they called Mike's mom. Lonnie had gone too far. 

* * *

 

 

1981 came and went and along with it, went Lonnie. 

A few months after _the Incident_ , as the boys called it, Lonnie packed up his bags and left. 

Will cried that day. But not from fear.

* * *

 

 

He and Jonathan stayed out all night. It was rainy and gross but they were out there. Building Will's safe place. The place that would save his life. The place he could run to whenever other Lonnie's were out to get him.

_Castle Byers._

* * *

 

 

Will was always incredibly grateful for Castle Byers. The process of building it wasn't the greatest though. A week of being sick and welts on his fingers from where the hammer missed its mark.

It was worth it.

It was always worth it to Will. 

* * *

 

 

It was December 12, 1983, just a little over a month after Will disappeared to the Upside-Down. Just a little after a month after Eleven disappeared. Even after what he went through, Castle Byers was still Will's safe place. 

It was a particularly bad night. He couldn't sleep because every time he closed his eyes, he could hear the growling and feel the particles of the Upside-Down floating around him. He quietly grabbed his radio and ran to Castle Byers. 

He sat there for maybe an hour before giving in and radioing Mike. The transmission cut out multiple times but the message was clear: 'Come to the Castle.'

So Mike ran. He would always run for Will. No matter what. 

Even with Dustin and Lucas and El, they would always be Will and Mike. 

Just Will and Mike. 

* * *

 

  
It was within the safe confines of Castle Byers that Will allowed himself to be completely vulnerable. He told Mike. He told him about what Lonnie would say to him and how it hurt more because it was true. 

Will Byers was a fag. His dad was right. 

He was crying while recounting it all to Mike. 

 _Mike_ , who just sat there and listened. 

 _Mike_ , who was always there for Will.

 _Mike_ , the boy who never stopped looking for him.

 _Mike_ , the boy who suddenly leaned over and kissed him.

 

It was there he had his first kiss, where he learned that love wasn't a dangerous thing. That there were people who could love and not be a Lonnie Byers. That his dad was the minority.

 

 

All within the safety of Castle Byers. 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hey so I don't know where this came from, all I know is that it's 3:30am and I am currently crying because of this. I don't know what I'm doing.


End file.
